Saturday, October 29, 2011
That Is Not Funny
The crowd roared. Many of them were hooting or chuckling at something they knew little about. I’m sure they didn’t realize that they were laughing at me and many others who were sitting nearby. They thought it was funny; we thought it was sad. Let me explain.
I was recently shocked and disappointed while attending a motivational seminar populated with thousands of upwardly-mobile New Englanders. I was shocked at how openly the crowd demonstrated bigotry and prejudice toward a growing segment of Christianity, and disappointed that a well-known, well-educated, well-respected, well-paid comedian would make fun of some of the most respected people in all of history. It was blatant prejudice; bullying of sorts.
Admittedly the comedian did make several valid points about good living. He is greatly respected in our nation and was one of the main reasons I attended the seminar. He made some pertinent comments, he made the crowd laugh, and then he shamelessly mocked people of faith. His speech was liberally sprinkled with comments about Jesus, God and the Bible, but his mockery qualified as hate speech toward people who have chosen to pursue their faith as seriously as the first century Christians did. (On a side note: the fact that he shared a quote that was not from the Bible, claiming that it was, should have tipped me off that he was using the Bible for profit, not out of respect.)
What did this funny man’s hate speech sound like? He imitated and mocked people who speak in tongues. In doing so he mocked St. Peter, St. Paul, St. John, St. Matthew, St. Jude, St. James… basically all of the men who wrote The New Testament of the Bible -- the book this comedian felt so free to quote or misquote for his own purposes. He was also berating the Bible-based experience that millions of people throughout the world have enjoyed; the experience promised by Jesus in John 7:38 and experienced by Mary, the mother of Jesus. (see Acts 2) How disheartening to see a crowd, egging on a comedian who was expressing prejudice and bigotry toward people like St. Paul who said, “A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally”, (1 Corinthians 14:4 NLT) and “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you.” (1 Corinthians 14:18 NLT)
Isn’t it incredible that in a politically correct world in which we are incessantly reminded to not speak hatefully about people because of their race, orientation, culture or creed, that thousands of people would openly and unabashedly ridicule people of faith who have discovered an intimacy with God and an experience like that of the first century Apostles? In my opinion, that is not funny; it is sad. It is also proof that our culture isn’t being fair to all faiths and creeds.
This article is not a complaint as much as it is a lament. The Bible tells believers that mockery is the Devil’s M.O. The prophets were laughed at. Jesus was laughed at. The disciples were laughed at and martyred. True believers will always be the butt of jokes. The sad part is that receiving the Holy Spirit, evidenced by speaking in other tongues, is the experience that Jesus promised to believers. It is the experience that gives power and joy. So the unsuspecting crowd who was being led to thoughtlessly engage in corporate hate speech was laughing at the very thing that could change their lives and bring them true happiness. That is not funny.
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